This invention relates generally to radiotelephones and, in particular, to radiotelephones or wireless stations capable of exchanging messages.
The Short Message Service (SMS) is a point to point, or point to multi-point service that enables users to exchange messages over a communications network. Receipt notification is part of the service, where the receiving station returns an acknowledgement, indicating that the message has been delivered. Text messages can originate from various sources, in various ways, including by dialing a toll free number to reach an operator who keys in the message and sends it, by using a software package to send a message directly from a user terminal. An SMS communication is not xe2x80x9creal timexe2x80x9d, that is, messages are exchanged independently of each other, and as such, SMS communication does not require the establishment of a simultaneously contiguous end-to-end traffic path. A typical SMS system includes user terminals as the initiators or final destinations for messages, a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), which serves as a relay for messages among terminals through the network, and the network itself serving as the communications medium for the messages. Final destinations for messages are not limited to user terminals, and could include e-mail addresses and fax machines. The Short Message Transfer Protocol (SMTP), including various lower layer protocols, manages the transfer of messages among terminals.
A terminal configured for SMS provides the user with methods to compose, edit, send, receive, read, and delete messages. The connection of an optional keyboard or optional display to the terminal may facilitate the generation and editing of messages by the user. The message will typically contain the message contents, an identification of the final destination, and an identification of the desired SMSC. The message is sent through the communications network and is received and stored by the SMSC. The SMSC determines if the intended destination of the message is available to the network, and if so, the message is then sent to that destination. Whenever an SMS capable terminal is registered to a network, it is capable of exchanging SMS messages, even when the terminal is engaged in a voice or data call. If the intended destination is not available, or does not acknowledge delivery, the SMSC may then initiate any number of message handling routines including re-transmitting the message at periodic intervals or even discarding the message.
Reference may be had, by example, to TIA Interim Standard IS-136.1, Rev. A, Feb. 12, 1996, Section 7, for a description of one embodiment of various SMS message formats and protocols.
Another type of SMS is known as broadcast SMS (or also as S-BCCH), which is a point to multipoint message transmission (i.e. from a network operator to a plurality of wireless stations). Examples of broadcast SMS messages include road traffic reports, winning lottery numbers, and stock market quotations. Reference can be had, by example, to a publication entitled xe2x80x9cS-BCCH for IS-136xe2x80x9d, TR45.3.6/95.06.13/18, Digital Cellular Systems, Jun. 12-15, 1995 (Ericsson), for a description of one type of S-BCCH.
A problem arises when a user desires to send a broadcast message to a specific set of recipients. For operator assisted messages, the operator must be notified of each recipient, while for locally generated messages, each recipient must be keyed in individually, as no provisions have been made for providing predefined distribution lists for messages.
Another problem arises when a user desires to send a message periodically. A user must recompose the message, or retrieve a saved copy of the message, and then resend it at the desired time, as no provisions have been made for a user determined periodic broadcast of a message to a distribution list defined by that user.
A further problem arises when a user desires to send a periodic message with updated content. Using stock market quotations as an example, a user may wish to send an updated quotation to a recipient on a periodic basis, for example, every hour. Under current practice, the user must obtain the information, compose the message, and then send the message, and this procedure must be repeated every hour.
The forgoing and other problems are overcome by methods and apparatus in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
A user-is provided with a unified messaging protocol that enhances the currently available messaging capabilities of SMS. The user is provided with the capability to compose SMS messages and with the capability to compose at least one distribution list for those messages. The user is also provided with the capability to send messages to recipients on at least one distribution list on a user determined, periodic basis. The user is further provided with the capability to send messages containing content obtained from external sources which may reside on various diverse networks including TCP/IP, X.25, FDDI, ATM, etc. The user is further provided with the capability to send those messages periodically to recipients on at least one distribution list, where the content of the messages is automatically updated prior to sending the periodic message. The recipients on the distribution lists may also be on diverse networks including those mentioned above.